Coming up next, we will spend one day in the book of Nahum. As we just read, the prophet Jonah was sent to preach repentance to the Assyrians in the city of Nineveh. The people repented after hearing God’s message, and God relented from bringing His wrath upon them. Nahum returned to the same city 150 years later with a different message – God’s wrath was now coming.   The descendants of those who had been repentant before had turned to idolatry, pride, and unspeakable violence. Whereas Jonah’s message was one of repentance, Nahum’s message was one of coming wrath for the Assyrians and of hope for the people of Judah who had been terrorized by them.

Our short prayer time in Nahum will remind us of the character of our God:

-He has unlimited power over the earth – the mountains quake before Him and the hills melt away.
-He doesn’t leave the guilty unpunished, and yet He is slow to anger.
-He brings wrath to His enemies and yet He cares for and is a refuge for those who trust in Him.

Our God is good! He is worthy of all praise and our utmost obedience to Him.

Following Nahum, we will spend one day in the book of Obadiah. In this 21-verse book, the prophet Obadiah is speaking to Edom, the descendants of Esau. Rather than help Israel (the descendants of Jacob), the Edomites not only refused to allow the Israelites to pass through their land when they made their exodus from Egypt, but they also joined in the fight against Israel rather than help protect them from an enemy. In their pride they gloated against Israel’s misfortunes, and through Obadiah’s words, God promises to bring them down.

The Edomites were a proud people who ended up paying a heavy price for their pride. Is there any unconfessed pride in your heart? On our short journey through Obadiah, we will pray against the pride in our hearts and celebrate the coming fulfillment of Mount Zion, when the land will be restored to God’s people as He rules over them in the last days.

Join us on a journey through Nahum and Obadiah, and invite someone to pray with you!

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